News
Indian CEO Forum welcomes Lanka’s High Commissioner designate to India, Milinda Moragoda’s comprehensive road map
The Indian CEO Forum (ICF) has welcomed Lanka’s High Commissioner designate to India, Milinda Moragoda’s comprehensive road map for the next two years, through the Integrated Country Strategy, strongly based on the teachings of the Buddha such as ‘having faith or trust’ and ‘full realisation thorough understanding’ which was noted as principles that should underpin the foundations of diplomacy and support in building trust and confidence between India and Sri Lanka, an ICF press release said.
It said: Moragoda, Designate High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India, met with the (ICF) on Aug 3 for an initial discussion on India-Sri Lanka ties.
The ICF is the preeminent body for Indian investment in Sri Lanka, representing some of the country’s oldest and largest foreign direct investments and Indian professionals heading large companies marking a significant contribution to the local economy. The dialogue marked a special occasion as the High Commissioner shared The Integrated Country Strategy for Diplomatic Missions in India 2021/2023 with the ICF. At the meeting, also present were V.K. Vethody, Designate Consul General of Sri Lankan Mission at Mumbai, Ambassador Bernard Goonetilleke – Former diplomat and Chairman Pathfinder Foundation and K. Balasundaram – Director/CEO MMBL-Pathfinder.
The ICF specifically commended Moragoda on Mission Goal 2 in the strategy which focused on ‘Bolstering foreign investments as well as earnings from exports and to achieve significant export growth and increase foreign exchange earnings, with the ultimate objective of increasing productivity, employment generation and international competitiveness to uplift the living standards of the people in Sri Lanka, with a view to achieving the macro-economic targets set out for the period 2020- 2025, in the Government Policy framework document, “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour”.
The ICF stands as a key partner to support in achieving specific mission objectives set out in under Mission Goal 2 to Increase Indian investments in Sri Lanka, facilitate ongoing large-scale economic development and investment-driven projects and Increase exports from Sri Lanka and expand Sri Lanka’s market share in India. India is among the top five overall investors in Sri Lanka and stands as an important trading partner to the country. Accordingly, The ICF appreciated the opportunity provided by Moragoda to engage in fruitful discussion with Indian business partners, with a focus on strengthening business ties and to explore opportunities for collaboration, at a time when economic recovery has become a key priority for Sri Lanka following the detrimental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Umesh Gautam, President ICF, remarked that several members of ICF have been in Sri Lanka for decades and are running successful businesses here, and they can act as beacons to attract more prospective investors to this country. The ICF stands as a key partner to support in bolstering Sri Lankan Interests and in facilitating foreign investments into Sri Lanka.
Moragoda also engaged with members of the Forum through a video link specially set up for this occasion. He presented his thoughts and answered questions on how to remove roadblocks and create an environment of investor friendly approach. He was keen to play a role in collaborating and helping the investors in finding solutions.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
